The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-12-02
poPocATEPETL.s CRATER.
4 scene Of Desolation Sublime In Its UnaE
proacha able Grandeur.


4 scens Of Desolation Sublime In Its Unap-
proachable Grandeuf.
OF all the wandering millions since
this weary world was young, few feet
have ever reached this spot, and Of
these few not many have been wo-
mems. Think of it-over three and a
half miles in mid air, half mile above
the tip-top pinnacle of Mont Blanc!
The highest mountain in Europe lacks
over two thousand feet of being rs lofty
as Popocatapetl. OF course. the chief
object of interest on top Of the volcano
is the crater. Imagine the interior of
mountain literally blown out by an
explosion. to the depth of one thousand
eight hundred feet. leaving narrow
rim on its inside surface. over which
the sea of snow curls higher than 3
mans head. looked over the dizzy
brink in mute astOnishment A vast
cavity. unsupported from the outside.
ut least mile across, sank away at my
feet rock-ribbed. ragged and
torn along its precipitous sides.
Out of the orifice in its
deep and dismal bottom rose jets Of
steam. putting and blowing in the dead
air. A workman who had wrought in
the crater told me that the fumeros, or
steam vents. instead of being foot in
diameter. rs they appeared, measured
from twelve to eighteen feet. The
vapor pouring out Of these holes is
highly impregnated with sulphur.
which is deposited on the rocks and in
the soil, furnishing an inexhaustiblc
supply of this valuable mineral. The
crane and rigging for lowering the
workmen into this inferno consists of Il
strong beam projecting few feet over
the abyss; over Il pulley in the end
runs u long rope. with a loop in the
lower end. The person wishing to
descend stands in the loop. holds the
rope i'm one hand and with the other
manages stick to protect himself
from injury by swinging against the
rocks. Two poems let the rope run
slowly over the pulley. and the descent
occupies about fifteen minutes.
The bottom Of the crater is covered
with scOria. which glitters with various
colors. In one place is a stone. SO large
that Elan can stand upon it, which
rises and falls as it feels the effect of
the subterranean vapors. At the low
est point is Il lake, the water of which
has an acid taste. The edge Of the
crater is composed of immense bowl
ders of periphery and basslt. and one
may descend some distance on foot by
IN icy pathway leading downward to
the huge rock which supports the
malacate, or machine for lowering the
wOrkmen. Since the mountain has
been giving out its sulphurous breath
for unnumbered centuries. the amount
already existing is beyond estimation.
and something like ton is daily
deposited. 1t would hardly be
an exaggeration to say that the
upper part of the mountain is an
immense block of sulphur, inclosed in
a shell of rock few yards thick.
Three qualities of sulphur are obtained
by the operations here. The best is
almOs: chemically pure. and is OBJ
tanned at the resperalos. or steam
vents, whence it issues in Il liquid state
and hardens as it cOOls. The other
two qualities are known to the trade rs
erich" and ''pure" sulphur ore. The
former yields from cighty-two to
eiShty-seven per cent. of pure sulphur;
the latter about fifty per cent. The
process used in its publication is that
of Michel. Oscillation takes place at
Tlamacas in hals-cylinders which serve
rs retorts. One who has stood upon
the brink of that crater can never for
get the awful silence that broods over
the scene of desOlatiOn.-Fa Il.
HnrI i41 Trou IN / Times